Illegal massage centers are still operating everywhere in the country, and the relevant authorities are continuously raiding the places to curb illegal activities.
In a recent operation by the Perak religious department, known as OPS Cegah Pondan, the team raided a few illegal massage parlors in Ipoh. The operation ended with the team successfully arresting 5 transgenders from Thailand who offered more than massage services in the centers that were raided.
In a statement by the religious department, it is said that 2 Malaysian men were also arrested during the operation for documentation purposes.
The man, however, was later released on bail by the department.
In a video shared by the religious department on Facebook, the transgenders could be seen running away from the authorities during the operation.
The men’s relations with the detained trans women were not specified. As for the trans women, they were not so lucky. They were put behind bars at the nearest police station after donning the prison uniform.
According to Section 55 of the Perak Syariah Law Enactment, a man who cross-dresses and acts like a woman in any public place for immorality purposes is a punishable offense.
“They can be fined not more than RM1,000 or face a prison sentence of not more than 6 months, or both.”
In the meantime, another operation saw the same team raiding a massage parlor in Gunung Rapat, where 2 men were caught during their massage session. You can watch the clip of OPS Cegah Pondan in the video below.
Keep in mind that the authorities are actively raiding illegal massage centres, and not all operations are shared on the social media.
Also read: No “Happy Ending”! Reflexologist in Seremban Shares How to Spot Red Flags at Massage Centres